O’Connor: Court Needs More Protestants, Women and Non-Judges

By Larry Neumeister | April 6, 2010 | 6:38 PM EDT

New York (AP) - The first woman to sit on the nation's highest court says she wouldn't be surprised if fewer justices attend State of the Union addresses after President Barack Obama criticized a recent ruling at this year's address.

Retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor told reporters Tuesday at New York Law School that it has always been awkward to sit through the speech without reacting to it.

Obama had been referring to a decision by the court to remove corporate campaign spending limits.

O'Connor said fewer justices might attend in the future because it was hard to get them to go anyway.

She also urged more diversity on the court, saying more women and people who had not been judges would help, as would a Protestant or two.

O'Connor retired in 2006 after serving 25 years on the Supreme Court.

Former&nbsp;Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, in a speech at New York Law School,&nbsp;urged more diversity on the court -- and said&nbsp;more justices may skip upcoming State of the Union addresses.&nbsp;